Death Toll in China Earthquake Rises to 148

AFP/APP

Beijing: The death toll from China’s deadliest earthquake in years has risen to 148 as of Friday, according to state media reports.

The focus has shifted towards resettling the thousands displaced by the disaster. The quake struck northwest China just before midnight on Monday, claiming at least 117 lives in Gansu province and 31 in neighbouring Qinghai, as reported by the official Xinhua News Agency.

Emergency shelters have accommodated over 139,000 individuals across the affected provinces. Rescue efforts in Gansu are now primarily aimed at resettling affected populations and treating the injured, while teams continue to search for trapped victims in Qinghai.

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A devastating occurrence took place in Qinghai’s Zhongchuan township on Tuesday when a “sand boil” phenomenon—where soil liquefies during an earthquake, expelling sand and water—buried people alive.

This earthquake marked China’s deadliest since 2014, when over 600 lives were lost in southwestern Yunnan province. The shallow 5.9-magnitude tremor on Monday caused nearly 1,000 injuries across the two provinces, accompanied by numerous smaller aftershocks.

The aid operation has been significantly challenged by subzero temperatures, with survivors seen huddling around outdoor fires to keep warm in the aftermath of the quake, as observed by AFP reporters.